Baptisia plant named ‘Blonde Bombshell’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of interspecific  Baptisia , ‘Blonde Bombshell’, that is characterized by its flowers that are light yellow in color, its compact and upright and slightly mounded plant habit, its flower stems that are held well above the foliage with short internode lengths between flowers, and its heavy blooming habit with numerous flowering stems and numerous flowers per flowering stem.

Botanical classification: Baptisia hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Blonde Bombshell’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of hybridBaptisia plant, botanically known as Baptisia ‘Blonde Bombshell’ andwill be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Blonde Bombshell’.The new cultivar represents a new false indigo, an herbaceous perennialgrown for landscape use.

The new invention arose from an ongoing breeding program by the Inventorin Raleigh, N.C. The objective of the breeding program is to developnovel interspecific hybrids of Baptisia that exhibit good gardenperformance with tall and upright plant habits and inflorescences thatare held well above the foliage.

‘Blonde Bombshell’ originated as a seedling that arose from seed plantedfrom open pollination of an unnamed plant of Baptisia shaerocarpa inApril of 2008 in a controlled block of potential pod and seed parents.The male parent is therefore unknown. The new Baptisia was selected as asingle unique plant in 2008.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by shoottip cuttings in May of 2009 in Raleigh, N.C. under the direction of theInventor. Asexual propagation by shoot tip cuttings has determined thatthe characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar as observed in Raleigh, N.C. Theseattributes in combination distinguish ‘Blonde Bombshell’ as a uniquecultivar of Baptisia.

-   -   1. ‘Blonde Bombshell’ exhibits flowers that are light yellow in        color.    -   2. ‘Blonde Bombshell’ exhibits a compact and upright and        slightly mounded plant habit.    -   3. ‘Blonde Bombshell’ exhibits flower stems that are held well        above the foliage with short internode lengths between flowers.    -   4. ‘Blonde Bombshell’ exhibits a heavy blooming habit with        numerous flowering stems and numerous flowers per flowering        stem.

The female parent of ‘Blonde Bombshell’ differs from ‘Blonde Bombshell’in having flowers that are darker yellow in color, fewer flowering stemsthat are shorter in height with less flowers and greater internodelengths between flowers, and in having a less upright plant habit.‘Blonde Bombshell’ can be most closely compared to Baptisia cultivars‘Lemon Meringue’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,280) and ‘Anne’ (not patented).‘Lemon Meringue’ is similar to ‘Blonde Bombshell’ in having yellowflowers and upright flowering stems. ‘Lemon Meringue’ differs from‘Blonde Bombshell’ in having flowering stems that are darker in colorwith longer internodes between flowers, in having a much wider planthabit, and in blooming 1 to 2 weeks later. ‘Anne’ is similar to ‘BlondeBombshell’ in flower color and season of bloom. ‘Anne’ differs from‘Blonde Bombshell’ in having flowering stems that are darker in colorwith longer internodes between flowers, in having a much wider planthabit, and in blooming slightly later.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Baptisia. The photographs weretaken of plants four years in age as grown outdoors in a trial garden inRaleigh, N.C.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘Blonde Bombshell’ inbloom and illustrates its plant habit and prolific blooming habit.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the inflorescences.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized and the color values citedin the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors ofthe new Baptisia.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of seven year-old plants of thenew cultivar as grown outdoors in a trial garden in Raleigh, N.C. Thephenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental,climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under allpossible environmental conditions. The color determination is inaccordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinarydictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Mid April to early May in Raleigh, N.C.        -   Plant habit.—Compact, upright and slightly mounded with            inflorescences held well above foliage.        -   Height and spread.—An average of 1 m in height and spread.        -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 9.        -   Diseases.—No susceptibility to disease has been observed.        -   Root description.—Deep rooted, fleshy.        -   Propagation.—Shoot tip cuttings.        -   Growth rate.—Vigorous.-   Stem description:    -   -   Branch habit.—Densely branched; average of 19 main branches,            each with an average of 3 secondary branches, and 2 tertiary            branches.        -   Stem size.—Main stem; average of 1.1 m (including peduncle)            in length and 8 mm in width, secondary; average of 45 cm in            length and 4 mm in width, tertiary; an average of 20 cm in            length and 2 mm in width.        -   Stem shape.—Rounded.        -   Stem color.—144A to 144B, a blend of 200A and N199B when            seedpods mature.        -   Stem surface.—Glabrous, satiny, and slightly glaucous and            lenticellate.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Fan-shaped in overall outline.        -   Leaf division.—Ternate.        -   Leaf internode.—Foliage begins 45 cm from base until foliage            expands, an average of 10 cm on main stem and an average of            5 cm on secondary branches.        -   Leaf size.—Average 5.1 cm in length and 9 cm in width when            mature.        -   Leaf quantity.—About 18 per stem.        -   Leaflet shape.—Oblanceolate to elliptic.        -   Leaflet base.—Cuneate.        -   Leaflet apex.—Acute to rounded.        -   Leaflet venation.—Pinnate pattern, not conspicuous, color            matches leaflet color on the upper and lower surface with            the mid rib of lower surface 144B.        -   Leaflet margins.—Entire.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Leaflet surface.—Glabrous and slightly glaucous on upper and            lower surface.        -   Leaflet color.—Newly expanded; upper and lower surface 144A,            mature; upper and lower surface a blend of 144A and 138A.        -   Leaflet size.—An average of 4.7 cm in length and 2.2 cm in            width.        -   Petioles.—Average of 2.5 mm in length and 1 mm in width,            clasping to stem at mature nodes, 144B in color, surface is            glabrous and satiny.        -   Stipules.—Lanceolate in shape, base is truncate to stem,            apex is narrowly acute to acuminate, up to 5 mm in length            and 1 mm in width on mature leaves, 138A in color on upper            and lower surface.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal racemes of pea-like flowers on            main and secondary branches, blooms from the base to the            apex.        -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 35 cm in length and 5 cm in            width at apex.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 20 days.        -   Flower size.—About 2.2 cm in depth and about 1.2 cm in            diameter.        -   Flower fragrance.—Faint.        -   Flower number per inflorescence.—About 60.        -   Peduncle.—Rounded in shape, up to 40 cm in length and an            average of 4.5 mm in width, 144B in color, surface is            glabrous, satiny, and slightly glaucous, flower internode            length averages 1 cm.        -   Petiole.—About 4 mm in length, about 1 mm in width, oval in            shape, 144B in color, glabrous and satiny surface.        -   Flower buds.—Kidney-shaped, about 1.8 cm in length and 7 mm            in width, petal portion is 4B in color, calyx portion same            as open flowers.        -   Flower type—Papilionaceous, held at about a 45° angle.        -   Calyx.—Campanulate, about 7 mm in length and 5 mm in            diameter, surface is glabrous and satiny, N144A in color,            persistent.        -   Sepals.—5, fused with the exception of apex of each, free            portion is triangular in shape, 2.5 mm in width and depth            with an acute apex, color N144A, surface is glabrous on both            surfaces.        -   Corolla features.—Papilionaceous (4 segments) with a            moderately reflexed banner, 2 lateral wings and a concealed            keel, lateral wings; oblong (slightly oblique) in shape,            about 1.7 cm in length and 8 mm in width, color on outer            surface and the inner surface on the lower portion is 4B,            rounded apex, oblique base, keel; not visible, comprised of            2 segments surrounding reproductive organs, oblong (slightly            oblique) in shape with rounded apex and oblique base, 1.3 cm            in length and 7 mm in width, upper surface and lower surface            are 4B in color, segments joined at center point, banner;            orbicular in shape, about 1.8 cm in length and 1.7 cm in            width, color on outer surface and the inner surface is 4B,            apex is rounded with a single notch, surface is glabrous on            all sections.        -   Receptacle.—Disk-shaped, gelatinous, 137B in color, about 2            mm in diameter and 1.5 mm in depth.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—1 Pistil, about 1 cm in length, 1 mm in width;            style is 145D in color and 1 cm in length; stigma minute,            too small to read color, ovary is superior with a stipe,            144A in color, 4.5 mm in length and 2 mm in width; stipe is            145D in color, 2 mm in length and 1 mm in width.        -   Androcoecium.—10 stamens, not united, 2 cm in length and 1            mm in width; filament is 1 cm in length, 1 mm in width and            145B in color; anther is dorsifixed, 1 mm in length and 1 mm            in width and 161B in color, pollen is moderate in quantity            and 14B in color.        -   Fruit.—An inflated pod, technically a legume, average of 18            produced per inflorescence, Globose and very slightly oblong            in shape, average of 1.5 cm in length by 1.3 cm in width            with a beak an average of 2 mm in length, color of outer            surface when mature is 200A and blushed with N200B, color of            inner surface when mature is a blend of N199A and N200A,            walls 1.5 mm and hard at maturity, seed; average of 6 per            fruit, N199C to N199D in color, oval with the hilum side            more or less straight, 4 mm in length, 3 mm in width and 2            mm in thickness.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Baptisia plant named‘Blonde Bombshell’ as herein illustrated and described.